“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3
Jahlyn Hope was born last week. She’s my third grandchild. Her name means “God of hope.” She’s a reminder God is our hope even in hopeless situations. Upon birth, Jahlyn was administered the APGAR test (Appearance – skin color, Pulse – heart rate, Grimace – response or reflexes, Activity – muscle tone, Respiration – breathing rate and effort). She passed with flying colors. Equipped with all the essentials, she’s well on her way to navigate life. In the words of the infamous Dr. Seuss, she has “brains in her head, and feet in her shoes. She can steer herself any direction she may choose.” My prayer is for her to love God, hope in Him, and live for Him.
Jahlyn was born with all the necessities for physical life. Perhaps with some minor exceptions, so were you and I. Then came the day we realized our life was incomplete without God. The moment of our surrender, salvation, forgiveness of sin, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God equipped us with every tool needed to complete our spiritual journeys. Knowledge of God grows us. (This knowledge refers to a deep intimacy.) As we grow to know Him and His Word, we can tackle life. When the storms of life hit without warning, He’s enough. When the situations before us appear unsurpassable, He’s enough. When the guilt of the past gnaws daily on our souls, He’s enough. Our future is secure because we’ve received everything needed to handle it – by His marvelous glory and excellence.
Do the twists and turns of life leave us rattled at times? Sure they do! However, we do well to remember, we have the compass and all the tools needed to navigate life – our lives. May we choose wisely.